Eight-Hour Rape and Beating Of Two Minors Shock The Nation
A 17-year-old girl was raped by her ex-boyfriend while her 16-year-old male friend suffered an eight-hour beating by a gang of young men on holiday in Malta.
Masuekama Kabangu Dany, 20, Kamangu Lema Lelo Arnaud, 18, Muogo Mukengerwa N’Domba Amani, 20, and two other 17-year-old youths, were arraigned before magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo on Wednesday afternoon, Malta Today reported.
The attack allegedly happened on Sunday between 5am and 1pm when the victims were attacked at the popular Gianpula nightclub, kidnapped, and taken to a flat in Sliema.
The victim of the rape was a 17-year-old French girl who went to the police headquarters to report the crime with her friend on Monday afternoon.
She alleged that upon being kidnapped and taken to the flat in Sliema, she was raped by her ex-boyfriend Dany.
Her male friend was then subject to a beating by the other men, the victims claimed.
Prior to the offence, the girl and her ex-boyfriend met in Sliema with the initial hopes of reigniting their relationship. However, upon entering his flat she noticed that he was staying with his new girlfriend and four other youths; this upset her and she left.
She then went to Gianpula on Saturday with her friend, who is a Swiss national, and they drank alcohol together throughout the night. The two friends then exited the club to call a cab when the girl’s ex-boyfriend followed them out and attempted to convince her to leave with him.
At this point, the male friend also detailed being assaulted by the other four offenders outside of the club coercing him to get into the taxi with them.
The French girl eventually got into the taxi where she was given more alcohol. The next thing she could remember was waking up in his flat while her ex-boyfriend was raping her.
She further noticed that the other youths accused were filming the assault.
It was added that the friend who was accompanying the girl was filmed while being beaten by the defendants allegedly without provocation.
Video evidence of the incidents detailed by the two victims were found by police.
The boy described the traumatic event as degrading, explaining that they made him pull down his trousers and took turns hitting him on his bottom or with a belt. The two victims were examined at hospital.
Besides the brutal physical attacks and assault, one of the accused attempted to buy a Louis Vuitton bag worth nearly €2,000.
Since the five accused are residents of Brussels, the police were able to arrest them while at the airport preparing for a flight out of Malta.
In addition to facing rape charges, the 20-year-old individual was also accused of unlawfully restraining the victim, causing minor injuries, coercing her into engaging in sexual activities, subjecting her to physical intimacy, facilitating her defilement, and instilling fear of violence in her.
Alongside three others (aged 18, 20, and 17), they were collectively charged with the illegal detention of the victim’s friend, a 16-year-old minor, inflicting severe injuries upon him, causing fear of violence, sharing inappropriate material involving the female victim, issuing insults and threats, disturbing the peace of residents during nighttime, and other associated offenses.
One of the 17-year-olds faced separate charges of stealing the boy’s iPhone and attempting to steal an item of significant value worth approximately €1,900.
All the defendants, except for one of the 17-year-olds, entered pleas of not guilty. However, the defense and prosecution reached a plea agreement for that individual, stipulating that the punishment would not include an actual prison term.
The aforementioned defendant admitted to only one charge, specifically the attempt to cause severe harm to the 16-year-old boy. This admission was reaffirmed after being given time to reconsider and receiving a warning from the court regarding the consequences of the admission.
Kabangu claimed to be a student of psychology, another individual stated that he is studying law, and one of the 17-year-olds informed the court that he is a professional footballer.
The offender who plead guilty only admitted to one charge which was the attempt to grievously injure the 16-year-old boy. He was given a one-year jail term suspended for three years and a three-year restraining order.
The rest of the accused pleaded not guilty.
Inspector John Spiteri said that this was one of the most serious crimes he’s ever investigated.
Attorney General lawyers Cynthia Tomasuolo and Joseph Camilleri Azarov prosecuted together with Inspectors John Spiteri, Omar Zammit and Jonathan Cassar.
Lawyers José Herrera, Franco Debono, Stefano Filletti, Jason Azzopardi, Matthew Xuereb and Gianluca Cappitta are defence counsel.
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